What Is Business Process Mapping and How Can It Help My Business?

Business process mapping helps companies define or improve processes, enabling better efficiency and clearer understanding of workflows. By process mapping, people and organizations can identify opportunities for improvement, leading to enhanced products, services, and employee collaboration. In this article, we’ll explore the types of business process maps, who uses them, their benefits, and tips for creating an effective business process map yourself.

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What is process mapping?

A process map is a type of map or flowchart you can create to illustrate complex processes, such as the entire workflow of a project. It visually represents each step or event that ultimately cumulates in the end result. As a tool, it allows you and your team to gain a better understanding of processes, identify areas you can eliminate or improve to reduce waste, increase overall efficiency, and boost performance. 

What is business process mapping?

Business process mapping involves using diagrams, maps, and charts to inform viewers about a specific business process. In addition to showing steps, process maps might identify the people responsible for particular tasks and designate a timeline for completion. 

Business process mapping examples and use cases

Any member of an organization needing to explain a process might use process mapping. Here are a few scenarios where process mapping could be employed for success:

• A CEO advising stakeholders about company processes

• An employee in charge of developing a process

• A trainer explaining processes to a new employee

• A team of staff members trying to work through problems with a process

Business process mapping benefits and challenges

The benefits of process mapping are numerous, including finding potential problem areas where you can simplify your plan to eliminate any unnecessary complexity. 

Advantages include the following:

• Increased transparency surrounding decisions. A collection of process maps and diagrams offers businesses a valuable source of centralized information. Company stakeholders, supervisors, and employees can refer to and use the maps and diagrams as they are or adapt them as needed for various projects. Process maps provide clear direction for work within teams and between departments.

• Continuous improvement. Process maps can help ensure continual improvement in business. When managers and stakeholders have the opportunity to view and evaluate process documentation regularly, they can identify areas for improvement or flaws in processes and make changes. Process mapping can also increase visibility to allow more teams to participate in brainstorming and feedback.

• Improved communication and understanding of processes among team members. Process mapping helps new employees visualize work processes. With a map, diagram, or chart, they can get a clearer idea of how the workplace operates and clarify individual roles and responsibilities.

• Strengthened governance and compliance. Workers may need to follow a certain safety protocol, detailed assembly guidelines, or strict government regulations. Process maps can help ensure worker and business compliance by educating employees about proper procedures, boosting quality control and reducing risk, and showing proof of compliance in the event of a company audit.

Process mapping has numerous benefits, but it does come with challenges. For instance, it can contain flawed or inaccurate information because the information may be objective, such as employee interviews. It can also include data from a small number of employees that doesn’t always represent the entire process. When selecting the correct type of process map, it’s essential to consider the complexity of your project and the specific problem you’re looking to solve.

6 types of process maps

Organizations use various types of process maps for different reasons. Knowing about common types of process maps can help you decide which ones might work for your business.

1. Basic flowchart

Companies use flowcharts to describe processes or plans visually in a simple way. This type of process map uses common shapes to indicate various phases of a process. 

Examples include:

• Oval: Represents the beginning and end of a process

• Arrow: Indicates direction and connects process steps 

• Rectangle: Used to display an action in a process

• Diamond: Represents a question or decision in a process

• Parallelogram: Depicts an input or output

You might use a flowchart when describing a process or when two or more people have trouble understanding a particular process.  

2. Cross-functional map

A cross-functional map defines who performs what action in a process or when a process takes place. Also called a swim lane diagram, the map displays rows or "lanes" designated for each participant. 

You might use a cross-functional map in the following ways: 

• When identifying the various departments involved in a process

• When designating the participants of a process and what action they should take

• When looking for obstacles in a process

3. Detailed process map

As its name implies, a detailed process map shows the details of one or all steps of a process. Details can include participants, subprocesses, inputs, outputs, and decision points.

You might use a detailed process map to:

• Clear up confusion about a particular process step

• Ensure participants have a thorough grasp of all steps in a process

4. Rendered process map

A rendered process map displays current and potential processes. You might use a rendered process map for:

• Identifying key participants in a process

• Making process improvements

• Maximizing team member skills and talents

• Increasing cooperation among process participants

5. SIPOC diagram

SIPOC is an acronym for this type of mapping. A SIPOC diagram features columns with the following headings:

• Supplier: The provider of resources for the process

• Inputs: The types of resources provided

• Process: Key process steps

• Outputs: The process results

• Customer: A person who benefits from the results

You might use a SIPOC diagram to:

• Identify the main components of a process

• Understand how a process has improved

6. Value stream map

A value stream map displays the steps involved in a process from start to finish, like creating a product or delivering a service. You might use a value stream map to:

• Reduce waste within a process

• Identify and eliminate unnecessary process steps

• Make the most of available resources

How to create a business process map in 5 steps 

Regardless of the type of process map you choose to implement, you can create it by following five basic steps. Tools for process mapping can range from pencil and paper, to a dry-erase board, to process mapping software, depending on needs and complexities. When using a process map, consider what problem you’re trying to solve and include team members from all different areas of the process to get their input. Not only will this help get people to commit to the process, but it will also ensure you’re developing an accurate process map.

Business process mapping tools

Many business process mapping tools and software exist, complete with process mapping templates to adapt for your own. When selecting a tool, you might consider examining the suite of software or tools your company already uses and using that information to guide your decision-making. Popular process mapping tools include Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart, and Canva.

1. Identify your goal and begin planning.

Do you want to create a new process or improve an existing one? If you're simply looking for practice, start by finding an area with an opportunity for improvement. It could be an existing process that’s underperforming or a new process or strategy you want to communicate effectively with your team.

Include department names, participants, actions, inputs, outputs, and decision points where needed. Start compiling the steps or events involved in the process, including all the inputs, outputs, roles, and time constraints. Once you have established all the steps, you can start organizing their sequence. 

2. Collaborate with everyone involved in the process.

Having input from everyone involved in the process helps identify specific problem areas, fully understand and account for each step involved, and ensure that your process doesn’t miss out on any relevant information.

3. Diagram (or map) the process.

After establishing all the steps and correct sequencing, you can choose the type of process map and begin drawing it. Use the best-fit format and shapes to diagram the steps based on the process you're mapping and the list of process map types in the previous section. Although you can use approximately thirty different symbols to represent the various elements of your process map, you can typically map processes with these five basic symbols:

• Ovals: Ovals represent the beginning and end of a process.

• Rectangles: You can use rectangles to represent an operation, task, or action.

• Arrows: Arrows represent the workflow's direction and connect the process's different parts.

• Diamonds: Diamonds represent questions or decision points that impact the workflow.

• Rectangle with wave bottom: Rectangles with wave bottoms represent a point in the workflow where you will produce a physical document.

4. Assess and get feedback.

Look for inconsistencies, bottlenecks, and steps you can eliminate. Ask stakeholders and process participants to provide feedback.

5. Test the process map before implementing your changes.

Go through the steps to see if they work and flow properly and make adjustments as needed. After implementing your new process, you should continue to monitor the process and get feedback from your team members to see if any areas for improvement exist and whether or not you can eliminate any steps. 

Build your process mapping skills with Coursera

If you're ready to get started, enroll in Data-Driven Process Improvement, a course focusing on process improvement strategies like data collection, gap assessment, and process mapping. Upon completion of the program, you'll gain a shareable Professional Certificate to include in your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile.

Already have some experience, but looking to sharpen a new skill? Walk through each step of effective process mapping with the intermediate online course, Operations and Process Management on Coursera. You'll learn to use historical data to improve processes and create key metrics to measure the performance of your changes. By the end, you'll have earned a shareable certificate for your resume.